Single-breasted garment



Dec. 23, 1958 B. WESTON 2,865,026

SINGLE-BREASTED GARMENT Filed Sept. 16. 1954 IN VEN TOR. BA/PA/EV l Vss 7011/ SINGLE-BREASTED GARMENT Barney Weston, New York, N. Y.

Application September 1 6, 1954, Serial No. 456,372 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-96) This invention relates generally to garments, and is particularly directed to novel features of construction adapted for use with a wide variety of single breasted garments such as coats, dresses, suits, blouses, shirts, etc.

The particular embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the drawings and which will be described hereinafter in greater detail, comprises generally a single breasted garment having overlapping front edges, with a collar extending about a neck opening and terminating-at the upper ends of the edges, and a lateral extension or wing on the upper portion of each front edge defining a lapel point when the collar is open, one of the wings extending below the opposite collar end when the collar is closed and being releasably secured below the collar to hold the latter in its closed position.

Heretofore, as is well known tothose versed in garment manufacture, a problem existed in the provision of means for holding .closed the neck portion or collar of a normally open neck, single breasted garment. That is, prior single breasted garment constructions did not afford equally satisfactory appearance and acceptable styling in both their open and closed neck conditions. This was due to the necessary presence of an inconvenient and unsightly fastening loop, tab or other connecting member adapted to extend between the front panels or front collar portions of a garment. Stated otherwise, the minimum or relatively small front panel overlap of single breasted garments required the use of relatively long connecting members to hold the collar closed and the upper panel edge portions in overlapped relation. In order to improve appearance of the open collar position, these connecting elements have often been made completely removable or detachable for disposition in a pocket or other concealed location when not in use. This, of course, resulted in frequent loss and misplacement of the connector devices, and also required additional manipulation to attach and detach the devices. When the connector element is fixed to one of the front panels or to one end of the collar, it detracts from the otherwise smooth lines and symmetrical appearance of the garment.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a single breasted garment construction of the type described which overcomes the above-mentioned difliculties, and whichincludes novel features of construction permitting the garment to be worn both open and closed at the neck or collar, without the use of separate connecting members (either permanently attached or detachable) for holding the collar or neck portion of the garment in its closed position. Thus, the construction of the present invention effects complete elimination of separate loops, tabs or other types of collar closure connector elements, and permits single breasted garments to be worn both open and closed at the neck with their appearance unmarred by the presence of dangling loops, and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved single breasted garment construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the foregonited States Patent ing paragraph, and in which novel means for maintaining the garment in its closed neck condition is provided as an integral part of the garment styling to disguise its utilitarian function when the garment is in its open position, and wherein such means is completely concealed when the garment is in its closed neck position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a single breasted garment construction having the improved features mentioned above, which is simple in construction and long wearing in use, and which can be inexpensively manufactured to etfect substantial reduction in .cost.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing a single breasted garment constructed in accordance with the present invention, and havin its neck or collar in open position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 1 and illustrating an intermediate step in closing the garment neck.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing the garment in its closed neck condition, and illustrating a novel structural feature in dashed outline.

Fig.4 is a front elevational view of the garment showing the garment neck in its closed position.

Fig. 5 is a partial, sectional view, greatly enlarged, taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises a single breasted garment, generally designated 10, including a pair of front panels 11 and 12 and a rear panel 13, which .combines with the front panels in conventional manner to define a neck opening. A collar or neck piece 14 extends about the garment neck opening, and is secured to the front and rear panels. While the drawings illustrate a womans coat, constructed in accordance with the present invention, it is appreciated that the invention may be employed in connection with a wide variety of single breasted garments, such as dresses, suits, blouses, shirts, etc., all of which are intended to be comprehended by the term garment.

The front panels 11 and 12 of the garment 10 have their adjacent marginal portions or edges 16 and 17 just sufficiently overlapped to permit of separable fastening, as by buttons 18. That is, the edge portion of the rearward or inner front panel 12 is provided with buttons 18 removably engageable through the buttonholes 19 formed in the edge portion 16 of the forward or outer front panel 11.

The front panel edge portions are substantially identical, so that a description of one will suffice. As best seen in Fig. 2, the forwardor outer edge portion. is substantially straight throughout its vertical extent; and a lateral extension or wing 21 projects from the upper portion of the front panel edge 16. The laterally extending wing 21 tapers toward its free end, there defining a point, and merges with the straight panel edge 16 by a smooth curve, as at 22. Opening through the laterally extending wing 21 is an aperture or buttonhole 23.

The upper end portion of the inner front panel edge 17 is also formed with an outwardly tapering, lateral extension or wing 25, which merges with the adjacent, relatively straight edge portion by a smooth curve 26. A

buttonhole may be formed in the inner front panel extension 25, if desired; however, this is not essential.

The collar 14 extends about the garment neck opening defined by the front and rear panels 11, 12 and 13, being secured to the latter by stitching or other suitable means (not shown) and has its opposite end portions 28 and 29 terminating at and secured to the upper ends of the front panel edges 16 and 17, respectively. It will be observed in the drawings that the collar is of greater width than the overlapping panel edges 16 and-17, and extends laterally or outwardly beyond the panel edges. In the illustrated embodiment, the collar extends outwardly beyond the adjacent wing extensions 21 and 25, as best seen in the open collar position of Fig. 1, wherein the upper portions of the overlapping panel edges are turned or folded back against their respective panels.

More particularly, in the open collar position of Fig. 1, the upper portions of the panel edges 16 and 17 define reduced continuations of the collar ends 28 and 29, respectively. Further, the pointed wings or extensions 21 and 25 on the upper front panel edge portions, or collar continuations, combine with the latter to present the appearance of pointed lapels. The curved juncture of the wings 21 and 25 with their respective upper panel edge portions, as at 22 and 26, are rendered obscure and substantially unnoticeable by the natural roll of the upper panel edge portions when the latter are turned or folded back. In this manner, the laterally extending characteristic of the wings 21 and 22 is effectively camouflaged or disguised so that the latter presents the appearance of substantially conventional lapel points when turned back.

With the collar 14 in its closed position of Fig. 2, the collar ends 28 and 29 being substantially contiguous, the upper end portions of the front panel edges 16 and 17 are in overlapping relation, with the former disposed forwardly of the latter. The wing extension 25 will then be disposed below or inwards of the front panel 11, under the opposite collar end portion 28, and the forward or outer wing 21 will extend directly below and under its opposite collar end portion 29, where a button 30 secured to the front panel 12 under the collar end portion 29 may be engaged through the buttonhole 23 to maintain the upper front panel edge portions in their overlying relation. The collar portion 29 may be folded upwards, as shown in Fig. 2, to facilitate the buttoning operation.

Upon downward folding of the collar end portion 29, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the entire lateral wing 21 is disposed below and concealed by the collar end portion 29, thereby exposing only the relatively straight front panel edge 16. As symmetry of proportions is preferred, the wing extension 25 will be entirely disposed under the collar end portion 28, and may be secured to the inner surface of the front panel 11, if desired.

Of course, the garment neck and collar may be opened by mere reversal of the above described procedure, as by disengaging the wing 21 from the button 30 and folding the upper panel edge portions back against their respective front panels.

ill

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a single breasted garment construction which is adapted to be worn either open or closed at the neck without the use of separate connecting or tying members, and wherein novel structural features, forming a part of the garment styling, serve to maintain the garment in its closed neck condition without detracting from the garment appearance in either its open or closed neck condition.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a single-breasted coat having a back panel and a pair of front panels, one longitudinal edge of each front panel being secured to a longitudinal edge of said back panel, the free edges of the front panels overlapping at the front of the garment, a neck opening formed in the panels, a collar having its lower edge secured to the upper edges of said panels about the neck opening, the ends of the collar being spaced inwardly from the upper edges of the respective panels to provide overlapping portions, cooperating fastening elements on the adjacent edges of the front panels and arranged medially of the front of the coat, the fastening elements on the overlapping panel being spaced inwardly from the vertical edge of said panel to dispose said edge under said collar, the said edge of said overlapping panel being straight from the bottom of the panel to the point where it underlies the collar, an integral extension on the upper corner portion of each of said front panels, said extensions each tapering toward its free end to provide a lapel point to disguise the laterally extending character of said extension when said collar is open and when said upper panel edge portions are turned back to provide a pair of symmetrical lapel portions on opposite sides of the centrally located row of fastening elements, the extension on the overlapping panel being wholly disposed and completely concealed underneath the outwardly extending portion of the opposite collar-end when the upper portions of said panel edges are overlapped and when said collar is closed, and means for releasably fastening the extension on the overlapping panel to the opposite one of said panels beneath said collar for holding upper portions of said panel edges in overlapped relation and maintaining said collar closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,052,475 Friedman Feb. 11, 1913 2,058,367 Steiner Oct. 20, 1936 2,287,258 Levy et al June 23, 1942 2,425,091 Fisch Aug. 5, 1947 2,536,121 Berger Jan. 2, 1951 2,585,840 Reynolds Feb. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 191,991 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1923 

